Gripper for box-strapping mechanism



1 May 20, 1930. M. HARVEY I 1 1,759,257

GRIPPER FOR BOX STRAPRING MECHANISM Filed 001:. 3. 1928 a p I l 7 INVENTOR LeaM 1/02" 65/ BY ATTORNEYS Patented May 20, 1930 UNITED m PATENT OFFICE 1 LEO M. HARVEY, or LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA emrrnnron BOX-STRAPBING MneHAmsM I o r 7 Application filed October 3, 1928." Serial No. 310,022.

This invention relates to a gripper for re-. slstlng tension in a strap, band or wire, for

10 gripper or pair ofjaws, and the strap or Wire is then passed around the article to be banded, so that portions of the strap or Wire overlap each other. At these overlapping portions, jaws operated by the'inachine place the tie in the wire. Beyond the position of the tieforming jaws, the strap or wire must be temporarily held in a clutch. As usually constructed, this gripper must be held open by hand while the wire or strap is introduced into the same by a lateral movement. 'The general object of this invention is to provide means for automatically opening this gripper by thelateral movement of the wire or strap which places it in the gripper. Aiurther object of the invention'is to provide such means with means for retaining the wire or strap in the clutch as it closes.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter. i The invention consists ofnovel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an eflicient gripper for box strapping mechanism.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan showing box strapping mechanism with certain parts broken away and illustrating an embodiment of this invention.

" Figure 2 is a front elevation of the mechanism'shown in Figure 1 and further illustrating the clutch and my improvement.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the gripper and illustrating the wire in position as though in the act of being introduced by a lateral movementinto the gripper. This view illustrateshow' the wire itself operates to open the gripper to permit the introduction of the wire between the gripper jaws. Figure 4 is an end view of the clutch mechanism and contiguous parts-and shows the parts illustrated in Figure 3 as though viewed from the right side. This view shows the parts in the same relation in which they are shown in Figure 3, that is to say, with the wire in he act of being moved laterally into the gripper.

Figure 5 is a view similar to'Figure 4, but with more parts broken away, and showing. the relation of the parts afterthe wire has 'passed into the gripper.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, 1 represents the strap or wire tying mechanism. This mechanism may be of any construction in- 1; volving the use of parts for producing a tie -4 overlapping portions of box strap or wire. At one side of this 1nechanism,a gripper 2 is provided which holds one end '3 of a strap 7 or wire which passes across the front of the tie forming mechanism. This gripper 2 may be of any suitable constructi'on.' Its parts are capable of assuming an open position to receive the wire 3, and the gripper mechanism includes a spring for closing the gripper. In

the present instance, the gripper includes a 9 relatively fixed jaw 4 and a relatively mov able jaw 5 that is pivotally mounted on a pivot screw '6 .and presents acam edge 7 to p I cooperate withthejaw 4 to grip'thewire 3. The pivoted jaw 5 is provided with a projecting handle or arm 8. A coil spring 9 attached to this handle and anchored to a fixed'bracket 10, pulls the movable jaw 5 in a direction to clamp the wire in position. I-Ieretofore, in

placing the wire 3 in position, it has been necessary for the operator to press thehandle 8 toward the left to move the jaw 5 into its open position. The wire 3 is then moved laterally by the operator into the space ben tween the jaws 4 and 5, and the lever 8 is then released to permit the spring9 to close the jaw. I I

According to my invention, I construct such a gripper in such a way that merely by p moving the wire 3 laterally into the gripper, the gripper will be automatically opened to permitthe wire to pass into the space between the jaws. t V a In applyingmy invention toa gripper hav- 1 ing the construction illustrated','I provide-the,

4.0 v 1. A gripper-capable of assuming an open movable jaw with means projecting into the path of the laterally moving wire 3,"s'o that the wire will swing the movable jaw 5 to its open position, In order to' accomplish this, I prefer to provide a cam 11 attached to the formed on its lower side with a cam edge 12 gap between'the jaw 5 and the fixed aw 4.

As the inward movement of the wire '5 a progresses, it eventually passes beyond a vertical edge 13 formed on the inner side of the cam. This edge 13 cooperating with the inclinededge 120i the cam, formsa spur 14 which operates as a retaining. dog toengage the outer'side of the wire and retain the same, until'the grippercloses. (See Figure5.) I

In practice, the operator simply pushes the wire laterally until it'passes this dog 14.

' Untilthe'wire passes this dog 14, the wire 'continue'sto rock the movable jaw 57 on; its

pivot 6, in opening direction, increasing the 1 tension in the spring 9; As soon as the wire passes the dog 14, the spring 9 moves thejaw 5 to its closing position, thereby clamping the wire 3 between the clamping face or edge 7,

and the j aw 4.

' It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take,and I do not wish tobe limited in the practiceof the invention, nor in the claims,

- to the particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim is position to receive a wire or the like'when 7 moved laterally intothe gripper, having resilientmea-ns' for closing the gripper, and

means in the path of the laterally moving wire actuated by the laterally moving Wire, and operating to open the gripper. v r

2. A grippercapable of assuming an open position to receive a wire orfthe like when moved laterally into the gripper, having resilient means for closing the. gripper, and

I means in the'path of the laterally moving means-having adog operating to retain the wire in the gripper as the gripper closes. 3, A gripper capable of assuming an open position to receive. a wire orfthe like when moved laterally into the gripper, with a cam having a cam edge in the path of the .wire

60 open the gripper,

cooperating with the laterally movedwire to .4. A gripper capable of assuming :an open f position to receive a wire or the like when ,moved laterally into the gripper, having a c mwi h Q m ed e i h Pa h i e W e cooperating With the laterally 'moved wire to open the gripper, said cam having a dog operating to retain the wire in the gripper while the same is closing, 1 i

5. In a gripper for holdingja Wire orthe like, a relatively fixed jaw, a relatively move actuated by the Wire; when moved laterally into the gripper for 'openin'g'the gripper.

6. In a'gripper of the'kind described for holding a wire or the like, a pair of jaws, a spring for holding the gripper closed, one of said jaws havinga came with its cam edge in the path of a 'wire'moved laterally into the gripper-to open the gripper, said cam edge v able law to cooperate ith the same to grip the'wire, and means in the path of the wire a I having a retainlng dog to engage the side 7 fof the wire after it has passed into the gripper.

7:. In a gripper for holding a wire orthe like, a a relatively fixed aw, a pivotally mounted jaw, a spring for swinging the same toward the fixed jaw, a cam on the pivoted jaw extending laterally from the same with respect to the swinging plane of the pivoted jaw, said cam havinga cam edge to cooperate I with a laterally moved wire,- to open the pper. .7 1 r L 8.,In a gripper fOr'llOlding awire or the like, a relatively fixed jaw ia pivotally mounted jaw, a spring for swinging the same toward thefixed jaw, a cam on-the pivoted jaw extending laterally from the same with respectto the swinging. plane of the pivoted jaw, said cam having'a cam'edgeto cooperate with a laterally moved wire, to open the gripper, said cam having a retaining dog formed in its edge for engagingthe outside of the wire.

Signed at Los Angeles, California,,

27 day of Sept, 1928.

'wi'r'e for opening-the gripper,said last named 4, I

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